


Waves

by deebeebird



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Developing Friendships, M/M, Merpeople, Sailing, Slow Burn, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-28 20:34:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15714597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deebeebird/pseuds/deebeebird
Summary: Sailor-for-hire Jesse McCree expects it to be a simple job. Go out to an uninhabited island, salvage a shipwreck, come home for the profits.And then he steps into a cave, and his entire world changes.Written for the McHanzo Reverse Bang 2018.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thrilled to finally unveil my piece for 2018's McHanzo Reverse Bang! The accompanying art piece was created by the talented ghostlyfiend, and I'm so excited with how all of this came together. Thanks to Ghostie and the McBigBang team for all their hard work during the process! I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Art for this fic can be found right here: http://ghostlyfiend.tumblr.com/post/177136838350/heres-my-piece-for-the-mchanzo-rbb-2018-the

Mr. Jack Morrison’s office was full of knick-knacks. They decorated every surface available—a collection of snow globes on top of the bookshelf, a painted porcelain turtle on the windowsill, what appeared to be a music box on his desk. Jesse McCree eyed a ship in a bottle on the side table behind his newest patron, wondering if Morrison had made it himself. He didn’t seem like the kind of man to have such a hobby, although he also didn’t seem half as sentimental as the state of his office implied.

“You remember that storm that hit last week?” Morrison asked, pulling Jesse’s attention back to him. When the sailor nodded, the older man gestured at the window and the dock on the other side. “Swept up one of my smaller cargo boats, the Talisman. The crew survived, thank God, but the shipment was a bust. We just got word that the wreck washed up on that island out to the east.”

“Intact?” Jesse raised an eyebrow, surprised. The storm in question had hit hard enough to rattle some of the smaller boats at the docks; the fact that the Talisman was even recognizable after its wreck was more than he expected. Morrison reached for a pen on his desk and began tapping it absent-mindedly on a nearby stack of papers.

“The ship’s a bust. Don’t worry about it,” he replied. “One of my associates was sailing near the island. Says he saw plenty of undamaged crates on the shore. I’m hoping that there’s more out there than what he saw.” The businessman sighed, slightly uncomfortable as he eyed Jesse. “I won’t lie to you, McCree, it could be a bust. Even if the crates look fine, there could be water damage. Not to mention the fact that we can never tell what’s on that damn island. By the time you get out there, it could be gone anyway.” Jesse leaned back in his chair, smiling lightly at his new employer.

“Guess I’d better get out there quick, then,” he said. Morrison beamed.

“So you’ll do it?” he asked. When Jesse nodded, his grin broadened. “Fantastic. I’ve heard you’re reliable.” He made a few notes on the sheet in front of him, and his brow furrowed. “I’m thinking I start you at two thousand pounds for the time and effort, and I increase your pay depending on how much you can bring back to me. What do you think?”

“It’s generous,” Jesse answered, his flattery genuine. “I’ve done more work for less pay.” He would never say it out loud, but Morrison could have afforded to pay him less. Jesse had never had an opportunity to make a good impression on a name this influential, and a successful haul could be just what he needed to find work beyond the occasional individual contract. Two thousand pounds as a flat rate didn’t hurt, but as long as things went well, he could count on a much more generous profit.

He needed this to go well, he thought, feeling slightly restless as he shook Morrison’s hand. He had been waiting for opportunity to find him like this for years now.

* * *

 

Jesse was tightening the sails on his boat when he heard the familiar thud of boots hitting the deck.

“So! I hear you’ve got work with Morrison. How’d a nobody like you manage that?” He turned away from his work to find Fareeha grinning up at him, leaning back on the railing. Scoffing, he hopped down to join her, pushing the brim of his hat away from his eyes.

“Dumb luck, I’d guess,” he replied playfully. “It’s worked for me so far.” His friend laughed, shaking her head as she watched him patrol the boat.

“I’ll say.” She pushed her hair out of her face, eyeing Jesse as he peered over the railing for any other damages. “Well, listen, when this works out for you and you become some big name running jobs for all the tycoons, you make sure to remember little old Fareeha Amari, okay? I could use a lucky break myself.” Jesse pushed himself back up, tossing a sly grin her way.

“Ah…you’ll be fine.” He laughed openly now as Fareeha pouted, then shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. For all we know, this’ll be a waste of time. Then we can keep on being nobodies.” Fareeha nodded, moving away from the railing to join her friend at the helm.

“It’s what we do best,” she agreed. “When are you heading out?”

“I’m going to pick up some food, and then I’m leaving,” Jesse explained. “I figure it’s early enough that I can get out there and get some work done before the sun goes down.” Fareeha raised an eyebrow, a brief flash of concern passing over her face.

“You’re gonna spend the night?” she asked. “Out on Spooky Island?”

“‘Spooky Island?’” Jesse echoed, amused. “That the best you could do?”

“Feels better than just calling it ‘that island no one wants to go to,’ like everyone else calls it,” Fareeha scoffed, resting a hand on her hip. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Yeah, if I don’t finish up out there then I’ll sleep on the boat,” Jesse confirmed, only to roll his eyes at the skepticism on his friend’s face. “It’s _fine_ , Fareeha. If it was dangerous, we’d know. It’s not like I’m the first person to step foot out there.” His fellow sailor shrugged, turning her gaze out past the docks to the open sea.

“Mm. Just be careful,” she sighed, suddenly somber. “Dangerous or not, it doesn’t seem like a place I’d want to be alone.” Jesse paused, surprised at the burst of seriousness, only for Fareeha to grin back at him. “I bet it’s haunted.”

“Well, if I come back possessed, you know what to do,” Jesse replied, clapping a hand on her shoulder. Fareeha rolled her eyes and shrugged him off in favor of starting back towards the edge of the ship.

“You got it, Jesse,” she called over her shoulder. “I’ve got work to do. Good luck out there.”


	2. Chapter 2

The open water was just choppy enough to send a jolt of excitement through Jesse’s body as he steered his way forward. Relishing in the way the wind whipped his hair away from his face, he closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Sometimes, he couldn’t help but thank his luck that he got paid to be out here, riding waves and breathing in the salty air. After spending most of his youth hopping through jobs, it was nice to finally make money doing something he enjoyed. Behind him, the skyline of the town grew fainter and fainter, the boats at the dock fewer and fewer until it was just him and the open sea. Above him, dark gray clouds swirled ominously, and he hummed thoughtfully, his hands resting lightly on the wheel. He had seen nothing but clear skies during his preparations, and he hadn’t expected another storm so soon after the last one, but these clouds looked ready to burst.

 _From the looks of it, I’m bound to wind up washed up on the same shore as the Talisman._ The thought crossed Jesse’s mind briefly, and he shook his head, trying to dislodge the doubt. No, he couldn’t let some bad weather shake his confidence, not with the kind of payout he was chasing. In the distance, the island in question slowly came into view, a sharp painting of cliffs and sand against the cloudy backdrop. As he grew nearer, he realized the scene was also dotted with what was left of the Talisman—a battered husk of a boat, surrounded by debris. Already, he could see a few crates at the waterline, the sea lapping at them, and he grinned to himself. _Bingo._ Jesse climbed up to adjust the sails, watching them catch against the whipping wind, then climbed back down to guide his own boat towards a more forgiving patch of the shore.

By the time he docked and finished tying his boat to the sturdiest rock he could find, the rain had started falling. Jesse pulled the brim of his hat down to shield his face, then trudged down the beach towards the wreck, squinting against the bad weather. Not far from the Talisman, a dark cave loomed against the rocks, and Jesse eyed it curiously before returning his focus to the crates nearby. As he pulled the first box away from the water, he felt his heart quicken with excitement. Even after all the ship had been through, he could safely say that most of its cargo was still intact. He hadn’t expected to find so much salvage here, especially after his conversation with Morrison, but there were so many perfectly good crates between the beach and the wreck that he probably wouldn’t be able to fit them all on his boat in one trip. This job was going to be even more bountiful than he had realized.

He needed to earn it, though. He needed to get to work.

Jesse managed to load six crates onto his ship before the rain started picking up, and he jumped at an especially close flash of lightning. He stumbled as the waves tossed his boat, then winced. It wasn’t safe to be out here anymore, he could tell, but with the way his poor ship was holding up to the storm, he was just as bound to get motion sick if he took shelter below deck. He looked back towards the cave behind the wreck. It was as good a place as any. Groaning as the boat continued to lurch beneath him, he clambered back to solid ground and headed for safety at a sprint, holding his hat to his head as thunder rumbled above.

The inside of the cavern was peacefully quiet, and Jesse paused to listen to the rain outside. Wringing the water out of his hat, he turned to inspect his surroundings. Things were brighter in the cave than he had expected, and he could hear a soft, insistent dripping of water against rock. Still, he couldn’t help but regret leaving his knife on the boat, just in case he found something a bit less peaceful deeper inside. His footsteps echoed against the cavern walls as he ventured further, taking in the setting. In all its natural simplicity, the cave didn’t look half bad.

After a few minutes of walking, Jesse was surprised to arrive at a pool. The water was clear, but he couldn’t see the bottom, and the way it flowed told him that it was much deeper than it looked. Curious, he crouched at the edge and dipped his fingers into the pool. The water was pleasantly cool, and he found himself resisting the urge to drink some. Instead, he moved to lean against the cavern wall, listening to thunder rumble distantly outside. This storm didn’t seem as rough as the last one, but he still couldn’t help but worry both for the cargo and for his boat. The last thing he needed was to get stranded out in the middle of nowhere like this; even if Fareeha knew where he was, he hardly wanted to wait for her to corral her crew and come out to rescue him. Still, the crates had taken worse beatings than this, he reminded himself, and his boat was definitely made out of sturdier stuff. So he told himself. With a sigh, he closed his eyes. If he was stuck here for the moment, a nap wouldn’t be a terrible idea.

The thought had barely crossed his mind before he heard a splash, and his eyes shot open again. Sitting upright, he returned his gaze to the pool.

And he froze.

At the water’s edge… _something_  was pulling itself up to rest against the stone. It looked like a man with long, dark hair and an intricate tattoo decorating his left arm. But shimmering blue and gold fins jutted out below its ears, and as it adjusted itself, Jesse could clearly see a fish’s tail from the waist down. He gasped for air, suddenly aware that he had stopped breathing in his shock, and the creature eyed him curiously, resting its chin on its hand. After a moment of cautious silence, it spoke.

“I’ve always understood that humans avoid this island.” Its voice was deep, with just a hint of gravel to it. “Especially this cavern. You believe it is haunted, and so you stay away. And yet here you are, making yourself at home. You must be very brave.”

“I’m not so…that is…” Privately, Jesse winced at how high-pitched his voice had become. _Brave. Right._ “I…am I trespassing?”

“I have no claim to this place, even if I frequent it,” the creature replied. “It’s as much your cave as it is mine. I just did not expect to see you here, with your kind’s superstitions.” Relaxing slightly, Jesse moved to kneel at the edge of the rocks, studying this stranger further.

“I’ve gotta say,” he admitted, “coming here and finding you…kind of makes me think there’s some truth to all that superstition.” The creature smiled wryly.

“Hardly,” it laughed. “This place is not haunted. Just because my existence is beyond what humans might believe doesn’t make me a paranormal being.” Jesse grinned in return, running a hand through his damp hair.

“Guess that’s fair,” he replied. Amused, the creature leaned back, submerging itself deeper as it eyed the sailor. Its eyes lingered on Jesse’s prosthetic arm, but then returned to his face.

“What brings you here, then?” it asked. “Superstition or no, I don’t imagine you’re simply here for exploration.”

“I, uh…my name’s Jesse. Jesse McCree. I’m a sailor,” Jesse explained, his face reddening. Why was he stumbling over his words so desperately? “I came to see what I could rescue out of that shipwreck on the beach, but it started storming so…I’m just waiting it out.” To his relief, the creature nodded approvingly.

“You’ve come to get that trash off of the beach. Wonderful,” it said. Jesse shifted to rest on his heels.

“Yeah, so…once the weather’s better, I’ll just…get the rest of the crates, and then I’ll go.”

“I understand.” The creature turned suddenly, floating on its back in the water. “You don’t appear to mean any harm. You’re welcome to stay until the storm has passed.” Jesse stood abruptly, noticing the tension in the creature’s tail that indicated it was about to swim away.

“Wait, hang on a second,” he said, louder than he meant to. “You got a name?” The creature shifted to sit up straighter, a hint of amusement in its eyes.

“My name is Hanzo.” With that, it disappeared into the depths of the pool, leaving Jesse alone with the slight sloshing of water and his own confusion.


	3. Chapter 3

As the cave grew darker, Jesse could still hear rain pounding on the rocks outside, and heaved a sigh. It looked like he would be spending the night after all, despite Fareeha’s chiding about staying out on ‘Spooky Island.’ Gazing blearily at the cavern ceiling, he hummed to himself, letting the sound of the storm lull him into a sleepy daze. His eyes wandered back to the pool, only to find that the creature had returned. It— _he_ , Jesse corrected himself—lingered just beneath the surface of the water, his silhouette warped slightly by the ripples. The sailor sat up, fighting back a smile as he rested on his hands.

“Do you need something?” he called. Hanzo pushed up through the water, shaking it from his hair.

“Did I bother you?” he asked in return. When Jesse said nothing, he looked away uncomfortably. “I was simply…observing. I’ve never seen a human so close before.” Jesse finally grinned in full.

“I get it,” he replied. “If it makes you feel better, I’ve never seen anything like you at all before.” Hanzo scoffed, returning to his spot on the rocks. This time he pulled himself further out of the water, far enough that Jesse could admire the way his scales gleamed in the dim light. He moved closer to the water, and wound up cross-legged at Hanzo’s side. “Where _have_ you seen humans?”

“On their ships, mostly.” Hanzo sprawled across the cool stone, and Jesse couldn’t help but think that he looked very comfortable. “Sometimes they come to the shore. It’s more difficult to watch them there, with the risk of being washed up onto the sand. But smaller boats…fishermen, families and friends out sailing…that’s simple.” He returned his gaze to Jesse now, and the sailor noticed him glance at the prosthetic arm yet again. “You asked me a question. Now allow me to ask you one.”

“Is it about the arm?” Hanzo sputtered at the question, his face reddening.

“How did you—”

“You keep looking at it,” Jesse laughed. “I guess you haven’t seen something like it before.” The sea creature cleared his throat, his eyes straying down to the rocks.

“I meant no offense,” he muttered.

“You didn’t offend,” Jesse assured him, before rolling up his sleeve to expose where the metal met what was left of his arm. “I lost my arm in a factory accident. My town’s got a real good engineer, though, and he made this one for me. I can take it off, if you want to take a closer look.” Hanzo grimaced at the thought, and shook his head.

“That’s quite alright. You can keep it on,” he said, studying the arm all the same. “It looks well-crafted. I don’t know anything about artificial arms, but I imagine you wouldn’t use it if it wasn’t to your liking.”

“Yeah, I can’t complain.” Jesse turned his arm slowly, letting both of them take in the details. “Is it my turn to ask a question?” Hanzo laughed quietly.

“Is that how we’ll have this conversation?” he chuckled. “Very well. What’s your question?” Jesse mused for a moment, searching for the most delicate way to word what he really wanted to know.

“What are…what do you call yourself? Like…what are you?” he finally asked, wincing slightly. Hanzo appeared unaffected, instead curling his tail up so that Jesse could see it in more detail.

“In my language, we are _marseda_ ,” he explained. “The closest equivalent your people have in your stories are the mermen, but you tend to depict them as closer to human than we are.” He lowered his tail back into the water now. “From what I know of the mermen in your stories, I imagine they are based off of us. But I suppose they’ve been in your mythology too long to know for sure.”

“You seem to know a lot about it,” Jesse noted. “Our stories, I mean.”

“Many of my people are much bolder than I am,” Hanzo replied. “I may not have much experience with humans, but plenty of the marseda do. There’s much to learn about your people, and many of us enjoy learning it.” Jesse hummed, his interest piqued.

“So there are more of you.”

“Of course. Throughout every sea.” Hanzo pushed back slightly; his scales were growing dry. Once he was comfortably submerged, he returned his attention to Jesse. “My clan isn’t near here, though. I’m traveling.”

“Why?”

“I can’t help but feel as though you’ve asked more questions than I have,” Hanzo pointed out with a smirk. Jesse glanced away sheepishly, and he chuckled again. “I’ll answer this one for you, and then I expect you to explain some things to me.” Jesse nodded his agreement, still feeling chastised, and Hanzo continued. “I am at pairing age, but I have no pair-bond. In my clan, if we reach pairing age and do not intend to pair, we are instead expected to travel and learn valuable information that we can bring back to strengthen the clan. So I came here. The town nearby is on the water, so it’s easy to explore and then return to the open sea.” Jesse looked back up, surprised.

“You’re not married?” he asked. Hanzo rolled his eyes, even as his smile broadened.

“We agreed that the next question would be mine,” he reminded him. Jesse huffed. “I suppose then I should ask what you mean when you say ‘married?’” Jesse felt his face grow hot—somehow, he hadn’t expected his new friend’s questions to take this turn.

“Right, you were talking about pair-bonds or something. I guess marriage is like that,” he muttered. He suddenly felt like he was speaking to a child who had just asked about birds and bees, and he cleared his throat. “When two humans fall in love with each other, and want to make that a more official thing, they get married. It means their relationship is recognized by law. It’s usually a normal step when you want to start a family. Does that make sense?” Hanzo nodded thoughtfully.

“And are you married?”

“No! No, I’m not.” Jesse’s warm face grew even warmer at the way he had yelped out that answer, and he ran a hand through his hair. “I…also don’t have someone to pair off with, I guess.”

“I see. I suppose our pairing is like that,” Hanzo replied. “Affection-based, and the step we’re expected to take before breeding. It’s not related to any laws, though.” Jesse bit his lip. He hadn’t anticipated hearing that the marseda had a law system, but he also knew that would be quite an involved conversation. The way Hanzo smirked at him told him that his thoughts were written on his face all the same.

“Do you have another question, Jesse?” he asked. Hearing his name spoken for the first time sent a jolt through the sailor, and he blinked.

“I…I might,” he offered. Hanzo nodded, returning to sprawl on the rocks again.

“It appears we have time for more, then.”

* * *

 

 Jesse woke up to a crick in his neck, an empty cavern, and a few glimmers of sunlight breaking through the rocks above him. Groaning, he sat up gingerly, already wishing he hadn’t opted to use a rock as a pillow.

He wasn’t certain how long he had slept, but Hanzo was long gone, and a look towards the mouth of the cave revealed that the sun was shining again. He faintly remembered laying down at some point during his conversation with the marseda, and figured that he had dozed off not long after that. He hoped that, wherever Hanzo had gone, he hadn’t considered it rude. With another, louder groan, he rose to his feet, taking one more glance into the depths of the pool before starting back towards the beach.

To his delight, the storm hadn’t shaken up his plans too much. Everything was where he had left it, and his boat bobbed cheerfully on the water not too far away. With a triumphant smile, he braced himself to pick up one of the heavier crates and started the trek down the shore. No matter how unusual the night before had been, work was still calling.

Jesse heaved a weary sigh and let one more crate drop onto the deck. His boat was so crowded now that he could barely walk on it, but the Talisman still had more treasures to yield. There was nothing for it; he’d have to come back.

_Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing_ , he mused as he untied the boat from its makeshift dock and climbed up to the wheel. He was always ready to explore what the sea had to offer. And he had just learned that the sea had even more to offer than he thought.


	4. Chapter 4

“So then I told him he should be careful, right? Because that Rutledge guy is scary, isn’t he? I wouldn’t want to make him angry.”

Leaning against one of the railings that overlooked the dock, Fareeha raised an eyebrow at Hana as she told her story. At her other side, Genji chuckled quietly.

“What did he say?” he asked. Hana leaned towards her group, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

“He told me that if he gets ‘Roadie’ worked up, he has his ways to calm him right back down!” she whispered excitedly. Next to Genji, Brigitte giggled.

“No kidding! He called him ‘Roadie?’” Hana nodded, and Brigitte hummed her approval. “Well, I suppose they make a cute pair, in their own way. So odd, though.” Before Hana could continue, Genji looked up at a familiar boat docking nearby.

“Oh,” he remarked, “McCree’s back. I guess you didn’t have to worry about him after all, Fareeha.”

“I wasn’t _that_ worried,” Fareeha shot back, starting towards the boat in question all the same. She reached Jesse just as he climbed down off the boat, and greeted him with her hands on her hips.

“Jesse McCree!” she called, shaking her head. “Where do you get off disappearing in a storm like that? I couldn’t hear the end of it from my mom! _Fareeha, have you heard anything about Jesse yet? That boy is so irresponsible sometimes, why don’t you look out for him?_ Like it’s my job.” Jesse grinned, pulling his friend into a one-armed hug.

“Good to see you, too,” he teased. “I’ll drop by your place, offer up my sincerest apologies to Miss Ana.”

“You’d better.” Fareeha pushed her ruffled hair out of her face, allowing herself a wry smile. “I’m glad you’re okay. Things were looking pretty rough just at the docks, I can’t imagine how it was out on the ocean.” Jesse shrugged off her concern.

“I wasn’t sailing when things went bad. Hid out in a cave for the night,” he explained. Part of him wanted to tell her about everything that had transpired in said cave, but something told him that it was better off left unsaid for the time being. Instead, he gestured back at the boat. “Check it out.” Fareeha’s eyes widened with glee, and she climbed up into the boat to inspect the stacks of crates.

“Damn!” She let her palm rest on the nearest crate, surprised at how sturdy it was after everything it had been through. “Are you kidding? This is way more than I thought the trip was going to be worth!”

“It’s not even all of it,” Jesse added, hoisting himself up beside her. “I couldn’t fit it all.” Fareeha laughed excitedly, shaking her head at the sight.

“You could finally start saving up for a new boat. Maybe even a proper wardrobe, while you’re at it.” She punctuated her comment by gesturing at Jesse’s worn-out clothes, and he scoffed.

“We can’t all be the height of fashion the way you are, Amari,” he shot back, pointing out the hole in her boot. Fareeha responded with an affectionate punch in the arm.

“Well, maybe when Morrison makes you a millionaire you’ll feel inclined to buy me a present or two.” She gestured up at Morrison’s office building, looming over the dock. “Might want to go break the good news.”

* * *

 

Sure enough, Morrison couldn’t keep himself from beaming when Jesse broke the news.

“You said twenty-eight crates? Product still intact?” he asked, leaning forward at his desk.

“There are twelve more still on the island,” Jesse added. “If I loaded them I’d risk weighing down my boat. I left them in a cavern.” Morrison nodded slowly, his eyes straying to the report in front of him.

“Forty crates in total,” he confirmed. “Nearly the entire shipment. It’s more than we ever could have hoped for.” He grinned again. “You’ve outdone yourself, McCree.”

“Appreciate it, sir,” Jesse replied coolly, trying to conceal his delight. The businessman was right—this _was_ more than he could have ever hoped for. He had needed this first impression to go right, and he could hardly believe his luck. It certainly didn’t hurt when Morrison’s men finished unloading the crates and handed him six thousand pounds in return.

And so, it made perfect sense to him that he was back on his ship three days later, preparing to depart yet again. Fareeha, for her part, seemed perplexed to find him there.

“Heading back out so soon?” she asked from the dock. “What happened to taking a rest week between trips? Something about not wanting to wind up with wobbly legs?”

“It’s not good for you to spend all your time on the water,” Jesse agreed, moving to look at her from the boat. “But yeah, I want to go get the rest of the crates. Don’t want to risk something bad happening to them now, after all this.”

“Mm. Fair enough, I guess.” Fareeha suddenly clapped her hands together, beaming. “Hey, it’ll probably be a short trip, right? Maybe I could go with you this time! Brigitte can hold down the fort if my crew gets any work.” Jesse bit his lip, hesitant.

“I…not this time, Fareeha,” he offered. His younger friend tilted her head slightly.

“Oh. Really?” she asked. “I’m…sort of surprised, Jesse. It’s been a while since we sailed together, and it was always so fun.”

“Yeah, I know. I know.” Jesse fumbled slightly over the words. What was he supposed to say? _Well, I met a merman out there and I’m hoping I’ll see him again, so I don’t want you to scare him off._ That would go over well, certainly. “It’s just…it’ll be boring. You know? We should sail again when it’s fun, and when I’m not worried about getting a job done.” When Fareeha said nothing, he offered her an uneasy smile. “We’ll sail soon, okay? I promise. Besides, you said yourself you think the island’s haunted. You don’t _really_ want to go out there.” Fareeha crossed her arms, a flash of bitterness in her eyes.

“You know what I think?” she asked. “I think you’re just worried that you’ll have to split profits with me if I come do your work for you.” Jesse stared at her, only for her to break her façade and grin up at him. “You should see your face right now.”

“You’re too good at that,” Jesse groaned, running a hand through his hair. “I’m too gullible for you to keep yanking me around.” Fareeha laughed openly.

“You really are,” she agreed. “I get it, Jesse. You want to have your alone time out on Spooky Island, you go do that.” Jesse shook his head, moving to undock his boat.

“I mean it, Fareeha! We’ll sail soon!” he called as he headed out. Fareeha watched him go, shaking her head affectionately.

Well and truly, she had the strangest friends.


	5. Chapter 5

To his private relief, the sun was still shining when Jesse docked on the island. The stacks of crates still sat neatly at the mouth of the cave, and what was left of the Talisman still lingered on the shore. After the past few days, he could use something straightforward and simple. As he started down the shore towards the crates, he took a deep breath of salty air and took in the scenery. For all of its mystery, and the lingering haunting aura that remained, the island was more peaceful than he realized. Maybe that was what happened when people stayed away.

Before he could give it much more thought, a voice snapped him out of his reverie.

“Hello, Jesse.”

He turned to find Hanzo swimming against the current, basking somewhere between the shallow and the deep water. He felt his heart quicken at the sight, and did his best to mask it as he approached the ocean.

“Well, hello!” he called cheerfully. “I was wondering if I’d see you again.” The marseda smiled lightly, allowing himself to be carried a little closer to shore before beating his tail against the water.

“I wondered the same,” he admitted. “I saw that you left some of your cargo behind, and assumed you would come back for it.” He paused, a brief flash of discomfort crossing his face before he spoke again. “I…am glad you returned.” Jesse grinned, close enough to the water now that it splashed over his boots.

“I’m glad you’re still here,” he replied. “Aren’t you supposed to be traveling?”

“Certainly, but I haven’t gone far from your town in quite some time.” Hanzo finally let the waves carry him to shore, and Jesse crouched at his side. “The closer I get to it, the more lively things are. This place offers me some peace.” The sailor moved to sit down fully, only for his new friend to shake his head. “No, no. I don’t want to keep you from your work. If you’d like to talk, we can talk while you’re carrying those boxes.”

“Alright, alright.” Jesse couldn’t help but chuckle as he rose to his feet, starting back towards the cave. “You know, I’ve got all day. You don’t need to worry about holding me back or anything.” When he hoisted a crate to his chest and started back towards the beach, Hanzo had returned to the deeper water, opting to swim along the shore as Jesse headed for his boat.

“That may be so,” he said, “but you came here with a task. It would be selfish of me to keep you from it.”

“If that’s what you think.” Jesse braced himself against his boat—pulling both himself and the crate up onto the deck was more of a strain than he cared to admit, even with the reinforcements of his prosthesis. “Any questions for me today?”

“A few.” Hanzo floated at the side of the boat, running a hand along its smooth side. “Do you always travel alone? This ship seems suitable for more people.”

“It is,” Jesse agreed, “but I handle it myself, usually. I don’t know, I feel best when I’m out on the water by myself.” He hopped back down onto the sand, and the two started back towards the cave. “Some of my friends sail too, yeah, but they’re mostly doing it for work. And of course the money’s nice, but it’s nicer to me that I can do something I really like while I’m making money. I’m not sure my friends get that feeling.” He paused, suddenly self-conscious at how much he was sharing, and finished sheepishly. “So…I usually do it myself. So I can keep appreciating it.”

“I understand,” Hanzo replied, his voice overpowered slightly by the crashing of waves against the shore. “It’s a similar situation for me. I had friends from my clan who offered to travel with me, but I thought it would be more enriching to be alone for a while. I’ve enjoyed it so far, but…I suppose it gets easy to get lost in my own head.”

“I get that way too,” Jesse assured him, pausing briefly before heading up to the cave. When he returned to the water with a new crate in his arms, Hanzo returned from under the water.

“Tell me about your friends.” Jesse blinked, surprised at the straightforward request after so many polite questions, but nodded as they began the next trek.

“Well, Fareeha’s probably the best of them,” he began. “And her mother, Ana. I’m not sure Ana and I are ‘friends,’ exactly, but she’s like a mother to me, too, so I say she counts. But Fareeha and I have known each other since we were kids, so she probably knows the most about me.” He chuckled slightly, shaking his head. “Means she’s not afraid to nag me, or to tell me when she thinks I’m doing something stupid. But I can always count on her to look out for me. And then there’s her sailing crew. I’m pretty close with them, too. We go out for drinks a lot. So there’s Hana, who’s always paying more attention than you think she is. She’s got the best stories. Genji is quiet, but really smart. Brigitte is probably the friendliest of the group. Her jokes are terrible, but she’s really good at making people like her, so she’s the one who gets that crew all their jobs.” He punctuated the sentence by hoisting the crate up over his head, letting it drop to the deck with a satisfying _thud_.

“They sound like interesting people,” Hanzo remarked. “Perhaps I could meet them, eventually.” Jesse paused, turning to stare at the marseda.

“What?”

“How far from your town do you think I go, Jesse?” Hanzo swam on ahead, calling over his shoulder as he went. “I don’t fear being seen by humans. I’ve come this far without being caught, and I’ve faced much more… _sophisticated_ opponents.” Jesse broke into a jog to catch up to him as they approached the wreck.

“I’m not worried about _you_ , exactly,” he said. “I just…didn’t you say you’ve never seen a human up close before me? I figured you had never talked to them, either.”

“That’s correct,” Hanzo replied. “Speaking with you has been pleasant enough. I assumed your company would be pleasant as well.” Jesse couldn’t help but laugh, confused as he was.

“That’s a strange way to compliment me,” he said, before sighing. “I just…I don’t know how other people would react to you. I think…most people aren’t like me.” He chewed on his lip, uncomfortably aware of how cocky that had sounded, and raised his hands in exasperation. “I think…you can take care of yourself. But you should still be careful.” When he looked up, he was surprised to see a brief note of surprise on Hanzo’s face before he moved away from the shore again.

“I understand.

* * *

 

 

The sun was beginning to set when Jesse let the last crate come to rest on the deck. Resting his hands on his lower back, he groaned, before heading over to look over the railing. In the water below, Hanzo eyed him curiously.

“You’ve finished,” he noted. Jesse nodded, taking a moment to appreciate the brief rest.

“Yep. That’s that,” he said. Hanzo said nothing, and the sailor paused. “Was there…did you have any more questions?”

“No, you’ve done well answering them,” Hanzo assured him. “I suppose you have no reason to come back, now that your work is complete.” Jesse furrowed his brow.

“I…I mean…” He exhaled, not sure where he was going with that. “I could still come back.” Hanzo looked back up, his gaze arresting even at a distance, and Jesse balked.

“To an uninhabited island that your people make efforts to avoid?” he asked. “I understood that retrieving your cargo was your only interest.”

“It was. But there are other interesting things here.” Internally, Jesse immediately kicked himself for saying it out loud, but his anxiety faded when Hanzo laughed lightly.

“I see.” His smile softened, and Jesse felt his heart plummet into his stomach.

_Oh, shit. You’re getting attached._

“I’ll anticipate your next visit, whenever that may be.” With that, Hanzo turned and dove underwater, disappearing as suddenly as he had appeared.

Jesse gazed out at the horizon as he sailed towards home, watching the skyline slowly come into focus. His realization had shaken him more than he cared to admit, and he could only muse on it as the sea carried him. His affection for Hanzo was liable to be a problem, for more reasons than he could articulate. At the core of it all lay a simple truth—despite what Hanzo had said, despite their conversations, Jesse still wasn’t sure what he _was_. He had grown up with stories of sirens enticing sailors to their deaths, stories of all sorts of creatures ready to deceive humans and manipulate their desires. How did he know that this was different? How _could_ he know?

He couldn’t. He shook his head despondently, pulling in his sails as he floated towards his dock. And what worried him was the fact that, no matter how much he told himself that, he knew he wouldn’t stay away from the island.


	6. Chapter 6

Morning was just turning into afternoon when Morrison’s men finished unloading the last crates from Jesse’s ship. Humming cheerfully to himself, he took the stairs up to Morrison’s office quickly, smoothing his hair out of his face before pushing his way into the waiting room.

He paused, surprised to find that he wasn’t alone. By the window, a slender woman in a pale pink dress looked up, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Oh, hello,” she said lightly. “Are you here for Mr. Morrison? His secretary said that he would be available shortly.”

“I…that’s right.” Jesse moved to sit on the other side of the room. “You’re a doctor, right? You work at the clinic?”

“That’s correct.” The woman smiled now, her stilted politeness melting into friendliness. “Dr. Angela Ziegler. I’m an ecologist by trade, but I have enough experience with human biology that I can make myself useful helping people here.” Jesse frowned slightly, and Dr. Ziegler let her hands rest on her lap. “Oh! Mr. Morrison isn’t sick, if that’s what you’re wondering. Not that I’d be able to tell you much if he was. Confidentiality agreements, of course. As I said, my primary focus is ecology. I understand that Mr. Morrison has hired a sailor to run a salvage mission on that island out to the east.” Jesse raised a hand, hoping to spare her from accidentally embarrassing them both.

“I’m that sailor, ma’am.”

“Oh! Wonderful.” Dr. Ziegler’s smile broadened. “Then perhaps I could speak to you about your work, while we wait. The concerns I wanted to bring up with Mr. Morrison involve the island’s ecosystem. You probably know that it is uninhabited, and, for the most part, untouched by this town’s influence. Its ecosystem has largely flourished uninterrupted, and I’m concerned both by the impact of the wreck and by sending untrained people out to gather materials.” Jesse raised an eyebrow, uncertain if he was being insulted, and moved to rest his arm on the back of his chair.

“Well, I don’t know much about that,” he said, “but I can tell you that I’ve finished my work there.” Dr. Ziegler sighed, visibly relieved, and nodded her appreciation.

“Thank you for letting me know,” she replied cheerfully. “I’ll still speak with Mr. Morrison, just to gather a few more details on the nature of your work, but you’ve been very helpful.” She hummed thoughtfully, glancing out the window towards the water. “Hm…I wonder if I should send a team out there? There’s still the matter of the wreck, and there could be some interesting data.”

“I can go back out there, if you need me to,” Jesse offered. Dr. Ziegler raised an eyebrow, though her smile didn’t waver.

“Oh? It’s nice to hear that you’re interested,” she remarked. “But I have a team of experts I send out for work like that. I’ll keep your name in mind if I have any work that you’re more suitable for.” Before she could continue, the office door swung open, and Morrison strolled out to meet them.

“McCree! A pleasure as always,” he began, before he noticed the doctor seated nearby. “And Dr. Ziegler. What a pleasant surprise. What brings you here?” Dr. Ziegler raised a hand, her face slightly flushed.

“You can meet with Mr. McCree first,” she said politely. “I don’t mind waiting.”

“Are you sure?” Jesse interjected, bemused. “You were here first.”

“Yes, but you’ve been so helpful. Really, you go on ahead.” The way she leaned back in her chair told Jesse that there was no use arguing with her about it, and he rose cautiously to his feet, following his employer back into the office.

* * *

 

The moon was high in the sky when Jesse finally left the pub and started towards home. Slightly drunk, he hummed to himself, breathing in the night air as he strolled down the cobblestones. He had enjoyed the chance to catch up with friends over a few beers, but now that he had time to think, he understood the problem.

He was getting restless. It had been a little over a week since he had received his full payment from Morrison, and he had put out a few requests for jobs, but it seemed that he had some shore leave to enjoy. Normally, enjoying it would be no problem, but he felt as though he was struggling to find things to fill his time. He had met up with friends, finished some overdue maintenance on his ship, even read a book. But no matter what he did, he couldn’t deny that his mind was still wandering back to the sea, and the island on the other side. He wondered if Hanzo was still lingering in the water, or if his travels had finally taken him elsewhere. He wondered if his new friend was thinking of him just as frequently and wistfully.

He stopped abruptly at a street corner, his eyes up. His could see his apartment building down the street, illuminated by the streetlamps, but his mind was suddenly racing. He couldn’t go back to the island for no reason, not without raising some eyebrows. What he needed was a story.

He turned the corner instead, starting off in the other direction. The night was still young enough for an impromptu house call.

After knocking on the door to the Amari household, Jesse quickly pulled his hat off, a sign of respect to the elderly woman who opened the door.

“Sorry to bother you this late, Miss Ana,” he began softly. Ana smiled warmly, pulling the door open wider.

“Don’t you worry, Jesse. You know you’re always welcome here.” She guided him back towards the kitchen, and Jesse found himself comforted by the faint scent of herbal tea.

“Is Fareeha in?” he asked. “I was hoping I could talk to her.”

“She’s in her room. I think she’s still awake.” Ana returned to the kitchen table, her hands curling around her teacup. “Would you like some tea?” Jesse grinned, even as he started towards the stairs.

“Maybe in a bit. Thank you, ma’am,” he called over his shoulder. He had barely made it to the top of the stairs before Fareeha’s bedroom door swung open, the woman in question eyeing him curiously.

“Thought I heard your voice,” she said, leaning against the doorframe. “What are you doing here?” Jesse tossed a glance down the stairs, then lowered his voice.

“I need to talk to you about something.”

* * *

 

 

Seated on her bed, Fareeha bit her lip, weighing each word that was ready to come out of her mouth. At her desk, Jesse sat silently, his face warmer than usual with his story complete.

“Okay,” Fareeha finally said. “So let me make sure I’m getting all the important parts of this story. You went out to the island and met a merman.”

“He’s not quite a merman, but let’s go with that.”

“Sure, right. You made friends with ‘not quite a merman,’ and you want to go back to the island to see him again.”

“That’s about it, yeah.” The pair sat in silence for a moment, before Fareeha sighed and leaned back on her hands.

“Does this story have _anything_ to do with the fact that you smell like alcohol right now?”

“I’m not _drunk_ , Fareeha. And I’m not joking around with you,” Jesse muttered. “You really think I’d come here this late at night for a prank?”

“You’ve done stranger things,” Fareeha retorted. “Why don’t you just go to the island, then? Why are you telling me?”

“Right before Morrison finished paying me, I talked to Dr. Ziegler, from the clinic,” Jesse explained. “She was worried about me messing up the ecosystem, or something. If I go back out there after everything she said to me about it and people find out, they’re going to ask questions. I don’t want people to ask questions.”

“Then what’s your plan?”

“Well, you wanted to go out there with me, right? Maybe do some exploring?” Now Fareeha scoffed, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

“When it was _work_ , yeah. You’re asking me to come chase some fairy tale,” she complained. “For all I know, you were out there hallucinating.”

“I wasn’t—” Now Jesse sighed, exasperated. “Look. I promised you a sailing trip. You get that, and if people find out we went to the island, I can say that we were just out on the water and you decided you wanted to take a look.”

“So you’re hoping for an alibi.” The two studied each other tensely for a moment before Jesse spoke again.

“You know, Fareeha,” he said quietly, “I wouldn’t have told you this at all if I didn’t trust you to know.” Now Fareeha sighed and looked away uncomfortably.

“Ah, and now the guilt trip. You’re too much.” She closed her eyes for a moment, then turned her gaze back to her friend. “If this turns out to be a waste of time, you’re coming with me on my next boring delivery run.” Jesse grinned, shaking his head affectionately.

“Have I ever told you that you’re a better friend than I deserve?” he asked lightly. Fareeha scoffed.

“Not nearly often enough.” She waved him off now. “Now go home. If we’re going sailing tomorrow, we should get out there early.”


	7. Chapter 7

“You shouldn’t sit on the railing like that,” Jesse remarked, watching Fareeha perch on the railing in question. “You never know when we’ll hit a bad wave.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’d rescue me if I fell,” his friend called back, leaning over the edge for emphasis. “My life is in your hands, Jesse McCree.”

“That’s unfortunate.” Jesse turned back to the wheel now, taking a deep breath of cool morning air. The sun was just coming up over the horizon, and a peaceful aura seemed to swallow up the ship. As much as he preferred to travel alone, there was something comforting about Fareeha’s presence, the wind whipping through her hair and a lazy smile on her face as she looked out at the water. Maybe he would join her on her next job either way.

As the island began to loom in the distance, Fareeha’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she climbed down from the railing to approach her friend.

“So, Jesse. What’s the plan here?” she asked. “Are we sure your friend’s going to want to meet another human?”

“He seemed interested in the idea before,” Jesse replied, gesturing behind him. “Here, get ready to adjust the sails.” As Fareeha climbed up beside him, he mused over the question. It was true that Hanzo had asked to meet his friends, but that felt like a long time ago now, and he couldn’t imagine that the marseda expected him to return with no notice and with an unfamiliar human in tow. He sighed, giving the wheel an insistent spin to push them in the right direction. He might have been too impulsive this time.

But they were too close to turn back, and Fareeha would never let him hear the end of it if he backed out after all this trouble. Jesse steeled himself and squinted against the sun, trying to ignore the quickening of his heart.

As he tied the boat to its now-familiar rock, Fareeha looked up at the cliffs, her lips pursed.

“Hm. Not as creepy up close,” she remarked. Jesse grinned, his hands on his hips as he looked up at her.

“The sun being out probably helps with that,” he pointed out. “Are you staying put?” Fareeha nodded and moved to lean on the railing.

“Go see if he’s there and make sure this is all okay with him,” she told him. “I’d hate it if he wasn’t the kind of guy who likes surprises.”  As Jesse started down the beach, she grinned, calling after him. “Make sure you say nice things about me!”

* * *

 

Jesse could already hear a familiar soft splashing as he ventured into the cave, and he couldn’t keep himself from smiling as his pace quickened. He drew near to the pool just in time to see Hanzo disappear beneath the surface of the water, and he called out, though he was unsure what the marseda could hear.

“Hanzo!” After a moment, Hanzo resurfaced, his eyebrows raised.

“You came back,” he said, lingering by the rocky wall. Jesse stopped at the water’s edge, his smile softening.

“Told you I would.” Hanzo approached him now, and he dropped to a knee. “I…brought someone with me. My friend, Fareeha. I told you about her before.” Hanzo let his arms rest on the rocks, his brow furrowed.

“You did?”

“I wish I had asked you beforehand,” Jesse admitted. “I didn’t even know if you’d still be here. You don’t have to meet her if you don’t want to.” Hanzo looked down, biting his lip slightly.

“You must have a lot of faith in her, to bring her here,” he noted. Jesse nodded.

“I do. She’s trustworthy, I promise. I wouldn’t have even told her if I didn’t trust her.” Hanzo seemed to think this through for a moment, then smiled lightly up at him.

“Then I look forward to meeting her.”

His anticipation didn’t stop Hanzo from eyeing Fareeha warily when she followed Jesse to the pool. She stood shell-shocked for a moment, gaping as she took in the sight.

“I…I…” she began, her eyes roaming to Hanzo’s tail. “You’re real…” Flustered, she clapped a hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry! That was probably rude. I just…I didn’t think…” Hanzo chuckled quietly, his eyes lingering on Jesse before he pulled himself fully onto a nearby rock.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Fareeha,” he offered. “Jesse speaks highly of you.” Her anxiety fading slightly, Fareeha smiled lopsidedly, glancing over at Jesse as she approached the water.

“Does he? That’s a surprise,” she joked, taking a seat cross-legged at Hanzo’s side. “I, uh…Jesse says you’re traveling. Do you…do you like it here?”

“Your town is a pleasant place,” Hanzo remarked. “There’s much to learn from it.” Grinning, Jesse leaned back against the wall, watching Fareeha pull off her boots and roll up her pant legs so that she could dunk her feet in the water. Her initial nervousness was already fading into characteristic cheerfulness, and she was more than happy to bombard Hanzo with questions. Jesse, for his part, was happy enough sitting back this time and watching them interact. The sight of them getting along so well was heartwarming, and he could settle for letting it unfold without him for now. Privately, he wished it tugged at his heart a little less.

* * *

 

 

Eventually, the conversation faded into a comfortable silence, and Fareeha rose to her feet, walking gingerly towards the mouth of the cave.

“Ah, my foot’s asleep,” she complained over her shoulder, gripping the wall as she peered outside. “Jesse, the sun’s starting to go down. Maybe we should head back.”

“Damn,” Jesse replied, pushing himself to his feet as well. “We’ve really been here all day?”

“You know what they say about time flying,” Fareeha replied playfully. “I’ll go get things ready on the boat. Good meeting you, Hanzo.”

“Until next time,” Hanzo called after her. In the silence that followed, Jesse returned to his knees.

“That went well, I’d say,” he remarked. Hanzo chuckled, shaking his head.

“She’s very lively,” he replied. “I’m glad you brought her to me.”

“Yeah, of course.” Jesse paused, noting the uncertainty on Hanzo’s face. “You alright?” The marseda hesitated, looking everywhere but at his companion as he spoke.

“I’m…uncertain what to make of all this,” he admitted. “We’ve known each other for a short time, but when you speak, I believe you. You tell me you’ll come back, and I trust that you will. You tell me that I can trust Fareeha, and I know that I can. It is…not what I’ve been taught.” He heaved a sigh, and Jesse’s eyes widened at the realization that his face was reddening. “Even the bravest of my people, the ones who speak freely to humans, realize that it is safer to keep them at a distance. Your kind can be so deceitful. When I met you, I understood that you were as likely to harm me as you were to befriend me, and yet…I trust you so fully, and so soon.” He finally looked up, concern clear in his eyes. “I…apologize if I’m too forward. I just don’t understand. I could simply be drawn to you because I find the unknown so fascinating, but I…”

“Hey.” Jesse slid himself forward now. “It’s alright if you don’t know. You don’t have to.” Before he thought about it, he reached out to lay a hand on Hanzo’s bare shoulder, only to feel him tense underneath him. “Oh. I—”

Hanzo pushed himself up onto the shore in one swift motion, just far enough to kiss Jesse. The sailor’s eyes widened, and he was immediately intoxicated by the faint taste of sea water. Before he could process it fully, Hanzo pulled away again, vanishing into the water without another word.

Jesse remained in place for a moment longer, stunned. The feeling of Hanzo’s lips lingered just enough to leave him starved for more, and he stared into the empty pool, hoping for a moment that he would come back just as quickly as he had left. Eventually, he forced himself to rise to his feet. Fareeha was waiting.

By the time he made it back to the ship, Fareeha was leaning on the wheel, whistling to herself. When Jesse hoisted himself aboard, she rolled her eyes at him and moved aside to give him the helm.

“Took you long enough,” she remarked. “Did you tell him you’ll be back soon?”

“I don’t know when we’ll be back,” Jesse pointed out as they set sail. Fareeha laughed, already headed for the front of the ship.

“You’re such a tease.” She tossed her head back, letting the wind blow away from her face. “Him and I are friends now. You better not keep us apart.” Jesse chuckled, his mind still firmly on the kiss.

“Don’t worry about it, Fareeha. We'll be back.”


	8. Chapter 8

The sunrise had accompanied the pair’s trip out to sea, and the sunset greeted them as they pulled back up to the dock. As Jesse navigated his way between the many boats, Fareeha frowned and hurried to his side.

“Hey. I think someone’s waiting for us.”

Sure enough, a tall, shadowy figure stood on Jesse’s dock, face obscured by a large hat. Humming curiously, Jesse let his ship come to rest and squinted down, trying to make out a face. Fareeha glanced cautiously over her shoulder at him before climbing down, and she studied the stranger in silence while Jesse secured the ropes. It was only when he reached dry land that he recognized the thin face beneath the hat.

“Dr. O’Deorain,” he called, raising a hand in greeting. Moira O’Deorain worked at the clinic as well, in a more senior position than Dr. Ziegler. Perhaps it was simply her lanky appearance and piercing eyes, but the town’s children often whispered about her many ‘experiments.’ True or not, Jesse felt a shiver run up his spine when his eyes met hers.

“Mr. McCree,” Dr. O’Deorain replied. “Welcome back. Might I have a moment of your time?” Jesse nodded slowly, shooting a meaningful glance at Fareeha before he spoke.

“What can I do for you?”

“It’s about that island. The one Jack Morrison sent you to.” Dr. O’Deorain pushed the brim of her hat away from her face. “Dr. Ziegler tells me she’s spoken to you about the state of the island. Uninhabited, with minimal fauna due to its mountainous nature. Its ecosystem is especially fragile due to that lack of diversity.” She eyed the pair curtly. “In short, it is _not_ a suitable place for your pleasure cruises. I would appreciate it if you were to explore elsewhere in the future.”

“Wait a second.” Fareeha had piped up before Jesse could even fully process what Dr. O’Deorain had just said, and he turned to find her eyeing the doctor suspiciously. “How do you even know that we went to the island? Do you sail?” Dr. O’Deorain only answered her with a withering look, before returning her gaze to Jesse.

“You’ve been warned about this already, Mr. McCree. I don’t want to have to bring this up with your employer,” she said coldly. “Do you understand?”

“I hear you, ma’am,” Jesse replied shortly. “Is that all?”

“It is.” Dr. O’Deorain turned and strode down the dock without another word, leaving Fareeha to tug on Jesse’s sleeve.

“Let’s go back to your place,” she muttered. “We should talk.”

 

* * *

Jesse wasn’t certain why he had locked the door behind him, but he couldn’t help but feel like he needed to. With a sigh, he joined Fareeha, who had already made herself comfortable at the kitchen table.

“Get you a drink?” he asked. Fareeha shook her head, her eyes on where her hands lay folded in front of her.

“I think Dr. O’Deorain is right,” she said bluntly. “I think you need to stay away from that island.” His eyes narrowing, Jesse took a seat across from her.

“What happened to you making a friend out there?” he asked, barely masking the bitterness in his voice.

“I know. And it’s hard,” Fareeha assured him. “I understand, Jesse. But it’s weird that Dr. O’Deorain knew we went out there, right? I think…I think more people are paying attention to you than you realize. I think it’s dangerous to keep going out there.” When Jesse remained silent, Fareeha looked up at him. “Jesse, listen to me. I understand how you’re feeling, okay? I do.”

“Do you?”

“I _do_ ,” she repeated, insistently this time. “I…I came back. I was going to say something else to Hanzo, but when I went into the cave…I saw you kiss, okay?” Jesse looked up sharply, and Fareeha hesitated, but only for a moment. “I understand that you care about him. I know it’s hard. But I think you’re in trouble, Jesse. And I’m _afraid_ for you.”

“Fareeha…” Jesse wasn’t certain what else to say, and settled for resting his head in his hands. “I didn’t mean to drag you into this.” Now Fareeha smiled weakly, reaching across the table to rest her palm on his arm.

“I think it’s something I’ve come to expect, over the years,” she said gently. “I’m still with you, Jesse. But I need you to promise me you’ll take care of yourself. Come work with my crew for a while. It’ll keep you busy.” For a long moment, the only sound was a persistent cricket on the windowsill outside. Then Jesse sighed.

“Alright, Fareeha,” he murmured. “We’ll do this your way.”

“It doesn’t have to be forever,” Fareeha replied, moving up to squeeze his hand. “Just until people stop watching your every move. You know?”

He didn’t. He wasn’t sure when people had started watching his every move, and he was even less sure if they had any intention of stopping.

* * *

 

“Can’t believe Amari lured you in with the promise that things would be busy,” Hana scoffed, perched on a bench overlooking the docks. “I’ve never been so bored in my life.”

“Not to mention underpaid,” Brigitte chimed in, seated on the bench between Hana and Jesse. “At this rate, I might just go back to working for my dad.” She beamed at Jesse now. “Any chance you want to start making more prosthetic arms?”

“Will both of you cut that out?” Fareeha complained, crossing her arms. “Sure, work’s slow, but the holidays are coming up. Exports will be flowing like rivers soon enough.” She grinned down at her seated friends. “We’ll make enough money that I’ll buy you all presents this year.” Hana’s brow furrowed.

“You mean you weren’t planning to do that anyway?” she asked. Laughing along with the rest of his new crew, Jesse glanced around the group. It was true that things had been much slower than Fareeha had promised, but it was refreshing to spend his days with good company, trading banter both on and off the boats. After all the excitement of the past few weeks, it was good to have a routine to keep his mind off of the island and its mysterious, soft-lipped inhabitant. Fareeha seemed far more relaxed now, as well, without the added stress of worrying about her friend, and Jesse was glad enough to ease her mind. She didn’t need to know that his thoughts caught up with him when he woke up in the middle of the night, and he wasn’t certain if she noticed how tired he looked these days.

Fareeha’s smile faded suddenly, and she snapped to attention. Jesse turned in his seat to find a vaguely familiar man in a suit heading their way.

“What can I do for you, sir?” Fareeha asked genially, in a voice reserved for business dealings. The man gestured at Jesse, who felt his back instinctively grow tense in response.

“Jesse McCree, right?” he grunted. “Mr. Morrison wants to talk to you. He’s in his office for the rest of the day, if you have the time.” Jesse nodded slowly, glancing over at Fareeha as he spoke.

“Oh…okay. Thank you.”

“Mm.” As the messenger headed back into the crowd, Genji sighed quietly.

“I knew we should have taken that job Mr. Wilhem offered us,” he murmured. “Then we’d have strange men coming up to us, too.” Fareeha scoffed.

“You didn’t want to go all the way to Egypt, either,” she pointed out, before turning to Jesse. “Go on, don’t keep Morrison waiting.”

 

* * *

Jesse tried his best not to look like he was in a hurry as he strode up to Morrison’s office. After so long without hearing a word from his employer, he could feel his heart pounding in his throat at the prospect of solid work. By the time he reached the office door, he was sweating slightly, and took a deep breath before knocking.

“Good, you got my message,” Morrison said when Jesse pushed the door open. “It’s good to see you! Have a seat.” Jesse obliged, noting a few new knick-knacks scattered around the office. The rug beneath his chair was new, as well, and intricately woven.

“What did you want to talk about?” he asked. Morrison pushed a stack of papers across the desk.

“Here, take a look at these. With the holiday season beginning so soon, I’ve started working with my contacts overseas to bring in new products.” Jesse took the stack gingerly, leafing through the spreadsheets as Morrison continued. “My partner out in Ireland has secured a sizeable shipment early, and we want to bring it to our warehouses here.”

“Ireland’s a bit of a hike,” Jesse pointed out. Morrison nodded.

“That’s true, but I think you’ll be interested in what I’m offering here.” He rose from his desk, crossing the room to the window and gesturing out at the docks. “You see that big white boat, right there? That’s the Sanguine Song. I’m willing to let you take her for this job, if you want her. Jesse stood as well, taking in the ship in question. It was beautiful, even from a distance.

“That’s…very generous of you, sir,” he murmured, taking a tentative step closer to the window. “I’d be happy to do it, if I could have a day or two to get everything ready.”

“Of course.” Morrison moved to shake Jesse’s hand, nodding his approval. “You’re proving reliable so far, Jesse. I’m looking forward to seeing how you handle a job like this.”


	9. Chapter 9

Everything about the Sanguine Song felt sleek and sturdy, as if it wasn’t even on the water at all. Jesse walked slowly across the deck, listening to his boots against the wood, and smiled lightly. It didn’t have the charm of his own ship, but it would be smooth sailing to Ireland on a boat like this. He tossed his bag below the deck and looked out at the water, illuminated by sunbeams. He had checked every inch of the ship twice over now, and there was only one thing standing between him and setting sail. He locked the hatch behind him and headed back to the dock. If he headed off for such a long time without visiting the Amari household, neither of them would ever let him hear the end of it.

“So,” Fareeha said shortly, sprawled across her couch. “You made it. A real international sailor, traveling the world for the esteemed Jack Morrison. How does it feel?” Jesse smirked, leaning back in his own chair.

“At this point, I’ll wind up buying your crew out from under you,” he fired back playfully. “I think they like me better, anyway.”

“I can’t be mad at you when I think the same thing,” Fareeha laughed lightly, looking up as Ana came into the room.

“I’m so excited for you, Jesse,” she added gently. “Ireland is beautiful. Fareeha’s father took me there once, before we married. It’s very green.” She paused, giving her daughter a withering look. “Fareeha, don’t put your boots on my couch.”

“Sorry, Mom.” Sitting up straight, Fareeha returned her attention to Jesse. “You’re bound to be gone for a while, then. You’ll break poor Brigitte’s heart when she realizes she won’t see you every day.” Jesse chuckled.

“She’ll live. Maybe you’ll find her a nice boyfriend in the meantime,” he offered, before softening. “Try not to miss me too much, alright?”

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” Fareeha assured him with a grin. For her part, Ana moved to lay a hand on Jesse’s shoulder.

“You be careful out there, okay?” she said. “I worry about you, going out into the middle of the ocean all by yourself. Fareeha worries about you too, even if she doesn’t say it.”

“Mom.” Her face flushed, Fareeha glanced back to Jesse. “You know I want you to be careful. So don’t disappoint me, and come back soon so I can buy you a drink.” Jesse nodded eagerly, smiling between the two women.

“You’d better save some money, Fareeha,” he teased her. “I’m holding you to that.”

* * *

Despite how much he had enjoyed sailing with Fareeha’s crew, a rush of excitement surged through Jesse as he reached the open water. Maybe it was the excitement of the new boat, the whipping wind, or how long it had been since he had experienced the thrill of sailing alone, but he felt nearly giddy as he powered his way up the coast. He looked behind him, through the sails, just in time to see the town he called home disappear in the fog. With an exhilarated sigh, he turned back to the helm, watching the water glimmer ahead.

And he paused.

_Don’t._ He wasn’t sure if the voice in his head was his own or Fareeha’s, but it was loud, even as he looked out. _Don’t. You promised you’d be careful._ He looked around—there wasn’t a single boat to be seen in any direction. As far as he could tell, he was safe. _You said you’d stay out of trouble, Jesse._ He closed his eyes, gripping the wheel tight, then looked out in the direction of the island.

_Jesse. Don’t._

He spun the wheel hard, and the front of the ship turned sharply.

 

* * *

He hit the shore at a run, moving as quickly as the sand would allow. By the time he reached the cavern, he was out of breath, and he gripped the stony wall for a moment, wheezing. He hadn’t even tried, he thought helplessly as he started his way towards the pool. He had barely given it a moment’s thought before making the detour. Maybe he was going crazy.

He stumbled at the sight of Hanzo, half-submerged and asleep on a rock not far from the one Jesse had slept on the night they met. His hair hung damp against his face, his arms folded under his head. Jesse stood star-struck, barely breathing as he took in the sight. Finally, the name spilled from his lips.

“Han…Hanzo…”

The marseda awoke with a start, propping himself up sharply. His eyes widened as he took in his visitor.

“Jesse…” He pushed himself back slightly, and Jesse approached him slowly, raising his hands in protest.

“Don’t go.” Now Hanzo smiled weakly, shaking his head.

“I’m not leaving. I’m just too dry,” he assured him. When Jesse fell to his knees at the water’s edge, he softened. “It’s been some time.”

“I’m not supposed to be here.” The words were coming out before Jesse could stop them, and he could feel his face growing hot with embarrassment even as he choked out the words. “But I had to ask you. I need to understand this. Do you know what sirens are?”

“In your stories, they lure sailors to their deaths with song,” Hanzo recited. “They are able to entice all but the most strong-willed of men.”

“Exactly,” Jesse agreed. “I…are you like that? Did you do something to me?” Hanzo raised his eyebrows, but said nothing as the sailor rambled on. “Because I can’t stop thinking about you, Hanzo. Even after these past few weeks…I keep having dreams about you. And even now, when I know I could get us both in trouble, I came out onto the water and I had to come here. I had to see you.” He let his chin hit his chest, and shook his head helplessly. “I just…I need to know if this is real. I need to know if this is all just some spell you put on me, or if…if I just…” Hanzo pulled himself closer now, resting a hand on Jesse’s knee.

“I suppose it’s a fair enough question,” he conceded. “But you have nothing to worry about. I don’t have any mind control powers.” He paused, steeling himself to look into Jesse’s eyes. “But…I understand your questions. Because I wonder the same, sometimes.”

“You…you what?” Hanzo smiled gently, his hold on Jesse growing more firm.

“You…are in my thoughts more than I imagined possible,” he murmured. “I expected to have left this place by now, Jesse. And yet…” He trailed off, and Jesse raised a shaky hand, letting it come to rest against his cheek.

“I…I need to—” The rest of his sentence was cut off by a flash of light, and the pair grew rigid. Leaping to his feet, Jesse whirled around to find a timid girl standing at the cave’s entrance, a camera clasped between her hands.

“Oh!” she gasped, blushing. “I…I didn’t know the flash was on. I don’t know anything about cameras.” Jesse took a step forward, his fists clenched.

“Who are you?” he asked lowly. The girl sighed, lowering the camera and glancing between the two.

“My name is Dr. Mei-Ling Zhou,” she began. “I work with Dr. Ziegler and Dr. O’Deorain. I…they’ve had me tracking you for a while now. Dr. Ziegler thought you were using this island as a base for something illegal. But this…” She motioned at Hanzo, who was still waiting frozen on the rocks. “This is more than I could have ever hoped for! This is a scientific breakthrough!” Jesse glanced back at Hanzo, then took another step forward, raising his hands.

“Listen, Dr. Zhou…I know how exciting this probably is for you, but I need you to destroy that picture you took,” he said calmly. “Your doctors…I don’t know what they’d do, but I’m not going to find out. Let’s just—” Before he could finish, Dr. Zhou suddenly turned on her heel and dashed for the exit. “Shit! Stop!”

She was faster than she looked, Jesse noted as he sprinted after her. Still, he was inching closer with every step, and she was stumbling in the deeper sand.

“Stop!” he shouted, diving forward to grab her legs. At the last minute, she wheeled around, just out of his reach, and he found himself facing a blast of bitter cold. Sputtering, Jesse reeled back, his whole body trembling as Dr. Zhou continued to freeze him with an unusual looking gun. Eventually, he collapsed onto the beach, leaving the young doctor to look curiously at him.

“Oh…I wish I hadn’t had to do that,” she sighed. “But you didn’t leave me any choice. You can’t destroy this camera, Mr. McCree, not with such an exciting breakthrough on it.” She lowered the weapon, turning it over in her hands. “This is so exciting! Dr. O’Deorain will be delighted to find out that her new technology is working so well.” As she started back down the beach, Jesse could feel himself growing lightheaded, the shock to his system too much to handle. Any words he had left for Dr. Zhou died on his lips, and he surrendered himself to the weariness that had taken hold.


	10. Chapter 10

Jesse awoke to the sound of seagulls cawing overhead and the smell of salt on the air. Groaning, he gripped his head and rolled onto his back. He still felt very cold, but he appeared to have thawed out. Struggling to his feet, he looked around blearily. Dr. Zhou was long gone, but he was relieved to find that the Sanguine Song still stood docked down the shore. He stumbled back to the cavern on shaky legs, trying to keep his teeth from chattering, and gripped the wall to steady himself as he returned to the pool.

It was no surprise that it was empty, he knew that. Hanzo would have been a fool to stay, with everything that had transpired. That knowledge didn’t stop Jesse from hitting the ground on his knees, reaching helplessly toward the water.

_Damn it. Damn it._ He groaned again, unable to keep himself from shivering. For all he knew, that damn ice gun had gotten him sick on top of everything else. In truth, all he wanted to do was sleep. Instead, he forced himself back to his feet, coughing as he headed back to the beach.

What was he going to say to Morrison when he and the ship returned just hours after their departure? What would he tell Fareeha? Most importantly, what would he do about the photo? He had no idea how long he had been unconscious on the beach, but there was no way he would be able to intercept Dr. Zhou before she revealed Hanzo’s existence to her colleagues. He was out of options.

Despondent, he hauled himself up the ship’s ladder and gripped the wheel with numb fingers. He wasn’t ready, but there was no avoiding the situation. Clearing the frost from his lungs with one more insistent cough, he guided the ship back towards the faint outline of the town.

 

* * *

Jack Morrison was returning to his office from lunch when he realized that the Sanguine Song was back at port. Frowning, he approached the dock just in time to see Jesse stagger off of the boat, haggard and disheveled. Alarmed, he headed for the sailor.

“McCree? What happened to you? What are you doing here?” he asked, holding out his arms in case the younger man collapsed. Jesse stumbled past him, shaking his head.

“There was a setback,” he replied simply, his eyes forward. “I’ll go back out there in a bit, sir.” Behind him, Morrison stood stunned, watching wordlessly as his employee forced himself forward.

The clinic’s secretary was equally confused when Jesse pushed his way through the doors and towards the back rooms.

“Do you have an appointment, sir?” she asked meekly, though he barely heard her as the second set of doors swung closed behind him. “Sir?” He had no idea where he was going, and instead peered into door after door. A storage closet, an empty examination room, a miniature lab…

“Do you think he’s still there? We don’t have to capture him, not necessarily. If we could just get a sample…”

Jesse’s ears perked up at the familiar German accent, and he followed it down the hall. He burst into the room without a hint of finesse, and the three doctors jumped at the sound of the slamming door. In the silence that followed, Dr. O’Deorain cleared her throat.

“I see you made it back,” she began. On the table between them, Jesse could clearly see his own silhouette, reaching out to Hanzo in a clear photograph. It was difficult evidence to deny.

“Your colleague attacked me,” he finally said, gesturing at a slightly uncomfortable Dr. Zhou.

“It’s regrettable,” Dr. Ziegler sighed, “but Dr. Zhou assures us that her actions were entirely in self-defense.” She paused, her nose wrinkling slightly at the sight of Jesse. “Would you like me to examine you? You do seem unwell.” Ignoring her concerns, Jesse turned his attention to the photograph.

“You have some nerve,” he snarled. “Sending people to follow me like that. You thought I was, what? Running some cartel out there?” Dr. Ziegler let her hands rest on her hips, drawing herself up to her full height.

“You mercenary types have done shadier things than that,” she remarked. “It wasn’t particularly outside of the realm of possibility—”

“As interesting as this squabble is,” Dr. O’Deorain cut in, “I’m far more interested in what Dr. Zhou claims you found out there.” She ran her finger down the side of the photograph, studying the image of Hanzo. “What can you tell us about this…creature, Mr. McCree?”

“You really think I’ll tell you a damn thing?” Jesse barked out a laugh, shaking his head. “You’d better have a good reason.” Dr. O’Deorain shared a long glance with Dr. Ziegler, then plucked up the photo between two fingers.

“I suppose ‘for the advancement of science’ isn’t a reason that matters much to you,” she began, approaching Jesse as she spoke, “but I do know a reason that will. If you help us bring in the creature for further study, we will give you eighty percent of our research grant for the year. Six hundred thousand pounds, Mr. McCree.” Jesse remained silent, and Dr. O’Deorain held the photo up in front of his face. “I don’t claim to know much about your lifestyle, but no man has ever suffered from having that much money, wouldn’t you say?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Jesse argued. “With your _friend_ over there running in and taking pictures, he’s probably scared off for good. Even if I wanted to help you, I doubt he’s coming back.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Dr. Zhou smiled lightly, and Jesse felt a chill run up his spine. “Not with what I overheard. It seems like you and…Hanzo, right? It seems like you two are very close.” Jesse bristled, and the doctor’s smile widened. “I think he’ll come back. And then you can decide if you want to help us…or if we do it without your help.” Jesse opened his mouth to speak, but found himself out of words.

_She’s right_. He and Hanzo had all but confessed their love to each other, right in front of her. She knew more about the nature of the relationship than even Fareeha. But more importantly…Hanzo had stayed nearby for _him_. He had put off his travels, lingered in that cave far longer than he had meant to, because of him. She was right. He was more than likely to come back to him.

He wouldn’t be in danger at all if it wasn’t for Jesse.

Shoulders slumped, he looked up at the photograph again, and then between the three doctors.

“I…will keep an eye out for him,” he finally said. Dr. Ziegler smiled, and Dr. O’Deorain nodded.

“We all appreciate your cooperation, Mr. McCree,” she said, tossing the photo face-down on the table. “I would highly recommend allowing Dr. Ziegler to look at you. The weapon Dr. Zhou used on you was experimental in nature.”

* * *

Back on the city streets, Jesse resisted the urge to punch the nearest wall. He had been irresponsible. He had known that from the first time he decided to go back to Hanzo. He had known from the beginning that he was drawing danger to himself. He just hadn’t realized where it would come from.

As soon as the door to his apartment closed behind him, he sank onto the couch, closing his eyes wearily. The doctors would never leave him alone now, he knew that as well. If he ever saw Hanzo again, he wouldn’t be alone.

Not that he believed he’d have to worry about that, he thought despairingly, shifting to lay down. Hanzo was gone, with too many words cut short by the flash of that camera. There was so much Jesse had finally been ready to say.


	11. Chapter 11

The moon was rising over the higher buildings in town when Jesse sailed back into port. He had returned to his old ship shortly after returning from Ireland; despite his success with the Sanguine Song, he found that familiarity won him over after all. These days, he sailed with Fareeha and her crew just as often as he sailed for Morrison, but nothing felt better than disappearing into the ocean on his own. He imagined some feelings were far more difficult to shake off.

With a sigh, he paused, his hands on the rope as he finished securing his ship. He could hear seabirds in the distance, squawking into the night, but the docks were otherwise quiet. As they had been for a month and a half now.

Hanzo’s disappearance had been bittersweet. Even now, Jesse still found himself glancing towards the water, searching for a flash of blue and gold just below the surface, but he sought it out less and less. It had been long enough that he knew he wasn’t being outright tracked anymore, though he and the doctors continued to avoid eye contact. And still, despite the slow numbing of his pain, despite his acceptance that Hanzo wasn’t coming back…still, he found himself waking up some nights with the name on his lips.

Jesse climbed down from his ship now, stretching his arms over his head as he went. Before he made it to the stairs, something small and sharp pelted him in the back of the neck.

“ _Ow_! What’s—” Jesse whirled around, only to find that he was alone. Perplexed, he looked down to find a small stone on the dock.

“Down here.” Jesse’s heart nearly stopped at the sound of a voice in the water, and he felt his knees grow wobbly as he approached the edge. Even in the dark, blue and gold scales shone just below the surface.

“Hanzo…” he whispered. Hanzo smiled softly up at him, and Jesse looked over his shoulder, making sure no one noticed him. “Hang on.” He dropped to a crouch and slung himself under the dock, perching on the support bars that jutted out from the water. As he made himself comfortable, Hanzo swam to his side, pulling himself up as well.

“I hope you don’t mind that I followed you here,” the marseda murmured. “It’s been a while since you traveled alone. I thought I should take advantage of the opportunity.”

“I thought you were gone,” Jesse replied. It was nearly pitch-black underneath the dock, but there was just enough light from the moon to illuminate them both. His heart ached at the sight.

“I stayed away,” Hanzo confirmed. “With those doctors still in town…I can’t imagine how dangerous it’s been for you.” Jesse smiled weakly, reaching out to hold Hanzo’s hand.

“I’ve been staying out of trouble,” he assured him, suddenly aware that his eyes were welling up. “I missed you.”

“And I missed you,” Hanzo sighed. “I never imagined I would stay here for so long. Perhaps you’re the siren, casting a spell on me.” Jesse leaned forward now, nearly losing his grip in the process, and he could feel Hanzo smiling into the kiss.

Somewhere in that kiss, he realized what it was that came next.

They were both breathless when they pulled away. Jesse let his hand linger on Hanzo’s cheek for a moment, then forced out the words.

“Go back to the island,” he said. “I’ll meet you there tonight.” Before Hanzo could say anything more, Jesse clambered back up onto the dock, looking around once more to make sure that nobody had seen him. There was a new fire in his eyes as he started home.

The Amari household was dark, as Jesse had expected. It was far too late for any normal visit. Leaving his bags by a nearby tree, he hoisted himself up onto a windowsill, straining to reach Fareeha’s bedroom window. With a grunt, he shoved the wad of money into a gap in the window, then dropped back to the ground. His handwriting was terrible, but he hoped the letter was enough to keep Fareeha from getting too angry at him. He imagined the money wouldn’t hurt when it came to easing her pain. His heart aching slightly, he grabbed his bags again and started back towards the docks.

* * *

When Jesse reached the island’s shores, he found Hanzo in the shallow water, letting the waves toss him around. The marseda approached the ship curiously, an amused gleam in his eyes as Jesse approached the side of the boat.

“Truly,” he called up, “nothing will keep you from this place, will it?” Jesse grinned down at him, and Hanzo couldn’t help but admire the way he looked against a backdrop of stars.

“I’m not staying here,” he explained. “You told me once that you were traveling so that you could learn something valuable. Whatever it is, it’s something I want to learn, too.” Hanzo stared up at him now, the realization dawning on him.

“You want to come with me.” He had meant it to be a question, but the awe in his voice overtook the inflection. After a long moment, he laughed openly, looking up at Jesse affectionately. “You understand that I’ve _already_ learned several valuable things on this journey of mine.” Jesse laughed, resting his elbows on the railing.

“I’m sure there’s more out there,” he pointed out. Hanzo chuckled, pushing himself around to the deeper waters.

“I’m certain you’re right,” he agreed. “Shall we go?”

And Jesse had no reason to ask where they were going. As he sailed away, Hanzo speeding ahead underwater, he knew that they would end up where they needed to.


End file.
